The role of M&S standards in simulation development

The Training Exercise and Military Operations (TEMO) domain and, more specifically, sitting Commanders in Chiefs (CINCs) who wish to see their initiatives realized during their tenure, are often frustrated by the amount of time it takes to develop a simulation or fulfill some other Modeling and Simulation (M&S) requirement. The use of Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) to develop models and simulations results in a more comprehensive product, with quality control gates built in throughout the development cycle. However the coordination and consensus building inherent in the IPT approach makes rapid model/simulation development unlikely. The existence of accepted M&S standards can provide a valuable service to the TEMO domain and expedite simulation development. This paper will discuss how M&S standards can bridge the gap between requirements and the need to have a useful product in a timely manner. The presence of a readily accessible repository of accepted M&S standards (algorithms, procedures, heuristics etc.) provides a set of building blocks for the model developer. This reduces the need for costly, time consuming pre-development research, and also makes Verification, Validation, and Accreditation (VV&A) easier.